PG John Wall (Word of God, Fr): National POY runner up, Consensus All-American, Set Kentucky single season assist record from the Sutton Error, broke Kentucky freshman scoring record previously held by Demarcus Cousins.

Hon. Mention: Brandon Knight was Coach's 1st Team and Freshman All-American; Rajon Rondo, lead guard for Celtics; Travis Ford, Oklahoma State coach; Wayne Turner, ex-Harlem Globetrotter, Duke nemesis. Anthony Epps and Marquis Teague were point guards on national championship teams but not the marquee players.

Dishonorable Mention: Saul Smith, Minnesota asst. coach. UK fans gave him a hard time as they remembered a time when they were benched for the coach's son.

SG Tony Delk, Three-Time Scoring Leader, Championship Game MOP and Three Points Made record. Delk was a tough on defense as he was behind the arc.

Hon. Mention: Keith Bogans, twisted ankle short of final four; Derek Anderson, ACL short of championship; Jodie Meeks, single-game scoring leader, SEC scoring leader, head coach short of doing something significant; Jeff Sheppard, led National Championship team in scoring. Redshirted in 1997 to play on '98 championship team.

Dishonorable Mention: Desmond Allison. When Tubby Smith went "Father Flanigan" he never got it back. Even a 26-0 run was not enough. Allison was killed in 2012; Rae Carruth (see Allison, Desmond).

Hon. Mention: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, NBA 2nd Pick had a great motor and was a lockdown defender; Ron Mercer, All-American; Kelenna Azubuike, father's legal troubles prevented a senior season; Coach Pelphrey is Kentucky's 8th leading scorer in the last 20 years and was a pivotal leader on their Unforgettable team.

Dishonorable Mention: Rod Rhodes, his meltdown v. Hogs in SEC Championship had Pitino put him on waivers (also to free a spot for Mercer). When he got no takers, he was shipped to USC;Darnell Dodson/Ramon Harris, can you imagine Rotnei Clarke getting the open looks these guys got this year?

PF: Jamal Mashburn, he fouled out twice in his career in OT: Duke '92, Michigan '93. Kentucky lost both games.

Hon. Mention: Terrence Jones was SEC Freshman/Newcomer of the Year in '11. AP and Coaches SEC 1st Team; Patrick Patterson, All-SEC got his degree in three years; Chuck Hayes, he just wins, baby; Antoine Walker; Scott Padgett, came back from his lawn care business to bury Duke and Kansas.

C Anthony Davis was UK's first consensus player of the year. He was the first pick in the 2012 draft joining John Wall as UK's only NBA 1st picks ever (Sam Bowie and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist were 2nd overall picks). Davis set single-season shot blocks records.

Hon. Mention: Demarcus Cousins: broke Rex Chapman's single season freshman scoring record, AP first team All-American, and funny guy in Elmer Fudd hat and Peter Parker glasses; Nazr Mohammed, a project that worked out; Jamal Magloire [Billy Packer: that Wojo's tough, son of a longshoreman, that's tough Jim. <in high and whiny squeal> what's Magloire doing?!?]; Marquis Estill, voluntary one-year walk-on on team that ran SEC on 26-0 run. Josh Harrelson was a surprise contributor to a team who lost six SEC road games but went to Final Four with a win over #1 overall seed Ohio State.

Dishonorable Mention: Randolph Morris, there's no I in TEAM. Good thing Tubby found that fax. Pete Thamel found a receipt in Turkey that ensured Enes Kanter's biggest contribution was to raise Josh Harrelson's game in practice. Thamel couldn't find anything on T'eo.

Erick Dampier, MVP of State's best team ever. So good the ABA's all-time leading scorer had the public pronounciation of his name changed to match Erick's.

Jarvis Varnado, only NCAA player to have 1000/1000/500 (pts/rebs/blks). Most appearances on all-league defensive team. All-time blocks leader.

Lawrence Roberts, got immediate playing time after the Baylor scandal and was SEC POY.

All-Time Point Guard

Derrick Zimmerman, underrated leader of some excellent State teams in the first half of the aughts.

All-Time SG

Timmy Bowers, Zimmerman's running mate was a clutch shooter, great defender, and All-American.

Sixth Man Honoree

Dontae' Jones had one of the best runs evah during the '96 postseason helping State make the Final Four.

Frontcourt Honorable Mention

Moultrie, State's last NBA 1st round picks were Dampier and Jones in '96.

Mario Austin, multiple time All-SEC big man who could shoot

Charles Rhodes, recent All-SEC player

Horatio Webster, another multi-year All-SEC big

Tyrone Washington, solid big man during a tough stretch

Robert Jackson, tough big guy post-Dampier

Dishonorable Mention

Fill-in-blank players who committed inhibiting recruiting and then went straight to NBA

Sidney, who would have helped Stansbury if he had tried to go straight to the NBA

Honorable Mention Point Guards

Chuck Evans, All-SEC PG at time of expansion when the SEC was loaded.

D Bost, 2012 Coaches All-SEC 1st Team '11 2nd Team was concerned about exposure in Starkville.

Dishonorable Mention

Gary Ervin, All-SEC Freshman takes his act to Arkansas

Wing

Jamont Gordon, multi-time All-SEC

Tony Watts, the asst principal at Connor (following Joe Dan Gold career path) is already an SEC Legend. Watts led State to a regular season co-conference championship.

Barry, good career just wrapped.

Shane Power, just gets in, but was a tough player during the Roberts/Bowers/Zimmerman era.

Dishonorable Mention:

Ben Hansbrough, the sane one in the family was All-SEC Freshman before leaving State.

Delks, had cause to split? Reginald is called out by Calipari with a Pel-like, "you're messing with the wrong guy [Bledsoe]. He'll [see you] after the game." And Uncle Tony, "See ya at the family picnic."

Dishonorable Mention SGRick Jones, was an example of a Kentucky player who did not make it at VandyBrian Williams, though he lived in Fayetteville I still would not choose him for a pickup game (I saw Williams the day after Marshall Henderson hit that 30+ foot three pointer at the buzzer that sent Ole Miss to OT and eventual victory over Vandy).

Honorable Mention PGKevin Anglin, All-SEC during ’93 championship, All-Time Assists, FTs, defense, academic and do what you need playa.Frank Seckar, Two-time All-SEC during SEC’s loaded ’94-96 seasonsAtiba Prater, ’00 All-SEC may have been out of position but an all-time assists leader

Dishonorable MentionAdolph Rupp, okay, okay, he was just before expansion but had to get it in

SG, Chris Lofton, SEC POY, All-American, ’06-08 3-Time All-SEC 1st Team. Great shooter and a clutch shooter. “When you have Rondo, Joe Crawford, Bradley, and Adam Williams in hand, there’s no room left for a Chris Lofton,” said Tubby Smith.

SF, Allan Houston, All-American, 4 Time 1st Team All-SEC, One case where the son got the coach a job ala Pistol Pete. In this case former Louisville assistant Wade Houston became the first black coach of a major men’s sport in the SEC and the first black to get a membership at a premium Knoxville CC.

Honorable Mention Front CourtPF, Corey Allen, ’93 3rd Team All-SEC, do you foul up 3 late? UK fouled Allan Houston who missed the second intentionally. Allen got the rebound scored plus one and UT won the game. Allen had 24.

G Wes Flanigan, ’96 All-SEC 3rd Team, Parkview grad is second all-time at Auburn in assists and battled thru cancer to play his senior season. Wes is one of the great leaders in Auburn history and is an assistant at UAB. Flanigan received the Basketball Writers Most Courageous Award.

PF Marquis Daniels, ’03 All-SEC 2nd Team, ’01 All-SEC 3rd Team. Good scorer and rebounder for his height, he was also among SEC leaders in steals. Daniels was the Birmingham News unofficial SEC POY in ’03. Daniels is Auburn’s all-time leader in steals and 9th in scoring.

PF Aaron Swinson, ’94, All-SEC 1st Team, ’93 All-SEC Coach’s 2nd Team. The 3-year player was another good rebounder for his height. 2nd in Auburn history in FG % to Barkley and 12th all-time scorer.

Honorable Mention Front Court

SF Bryant Smith, ’99 All-SEC 1st Team, ’98 All-SEC Coach’s 2nd Team, good defender and rebounder. Bryant held his opponent to 5-6 ppg below scoring average in ’98-99. Auburn is often over looked on the All-SEC teams but ’99 was a very good year for the Tiger.

F Korvotney Barber, ’09 All-SEC 2nd Team. The McDonald’s All-American was a good rebounder for a 6’7” guy. Barber set single season rebounding records at Auburn and is 9th all time.

C Mamadou N’diaye, ’99 All-SEC AP 3rd Team. The 7-footer with the great name (along with LR’s Adrian Chilliest) was an 8-and-8 and 7-and-7 guy for Auburn. 2nd in all time blocked shots to Kyle Davis.

C Kyle Davis. The underrated 6’10” Davis was a rough-edged precursor to State’s Varnado but he was a shot blocking machine with 360.

Honorable Mention BackCourt

G Lance Weems, ’96 All-SEC Coach’s 3rd Team is now the Athletic Superintendent for Hoover Parks and Recreation. Weems made 10 threes against the Hogs in a shootout with Scotty.

Add Chris Warren at the PG slot. Chris Warren, Ole Miss – G, 5-10, 168, Jr., Orlando, Fla. ’09-10 All SEC Coach’s Second Team. '11 All SEC AP and Coaches First Team. Warren scored over 2000 points and is the third all-time scorer at time of post. He is the SEC all-time leader single season and career in FT percentage.

Coach Kennedy whose wife sued the valet for loss of consortium. Quietly dropped suit after valet’s attorney went on Cincinnati radio and promised The Kennedys would get the chance to provide full details on exactly what that meant.

D Bost was working out in Vegas on someone's dime and laughing it up on Draft declaration deadline day. Then he won on appeal and got a chance to play the SEC schedule this season.

Quote

[D Bost, a junior] has proven to be one of the best point guards in the Southeastern Conference in his short time back from suspension (14 games). He leads the league in assists in conference games (6 per game) and is just 86 short of breaking the career school record in that category set by Derrick Zimmerman (514).

“He’s one of the best, for sure,” Stansbury said. “He’s a scoring point guard and it’s very obvious he can distribute, too, or he wouldn’t be having the stats he has. I think the great ability he has, too, is he’s a competitor; I think he’s gotten better and he’s matured as a basketball player. … These are all SEC stats. These are not watered-down stats against everybody else you’ve played in the non-conference (schedule). … For him to still be in position to break that assists record and do it in half a year less than anybody else, then it’s quite an accomplishment.”

He played one season but you have to look at Moultrie finding a spot on State's all-time team. The weight you put on one season makes the all-time team discussions interesting, especially for Kentucky lately.

Sidney would make Dishonorable Mention.

D Bost moves into the discussion as all-time PG but I am not certain he would pass Zimmerman.

Wow, this just shows the greatness we've had over the years, although 90% of it was between 1977 and 1995. No Darrell Walker. No Alvin Robertson. No Marvin Delph. No Ron Brewer. No Scott Hastings. No Corey Beck.

In the weeks leading up to the June 27 NBA draft, ESPN is taking a look at the 20 schools that have produced the best pros in the modern draft era (since 1989, when the draft went from seven to two rounds).

Wow, this just shows the greatness we've had over the years, although 90% of it was between 1977 and 1995. No Darrell Walker. No Alvin Robertson. No Marvin Delph. No Ron Brewer. No Scott Hastings. No Corey Beck.

And no Eric Poerschke!

That's the first thought I had as well. Looking at UF- it is all Donovan era but one meaning they have a weak history but finally have a great coach

LSU is exact opposite- they have always had great talent/players, but never a great coach which is why their BB tradition is next to nothing

Why they're ranked where they are: Seventeen years ago, the University of Florida took a chance.

It was time. Florida basketball -- a program that from 1933 to 1980 finished higher than fourth in the SEC exactly twice -- had finally experienced some success under Lon Kruger, who in 1994 led the Gators to their first-ever Final Four. In 1996, Kruger left Gainesville to take over at Illinois and Florida was left at a crossroads. It could slowly tilt toward respectability with a proven coaching entity, or it could seize the opportunity to do something bold. The Gators walked through door No. 2, hiring a 31-year-old former Providence star and Rick Pitino protégé with five years as an assistant and two as a head coach on his résumé. The rest, as they say, is history.

Before Billy Donovan arrived at Florida in 1996, the Gators had just four NCAA tournament appearances in school history. The first came in 1987, when Vernon Maxwell (who left Florida as the second-leading scorer in SEC history behind only Pete Maravich) pushed through to the Sweet 16. Since Donovan's arrival at Florida, the Gators have gone to the tournament 13 times, advanced to the Elite Eight in six seasons (including each of the last three) and won two national titles, in 2006 and 2007. Seventeen years after the Gators took a chance on the hotshot 31-year-old with the Pitino pedigree, Florida is now something close to a basketball power.

Christian Dreijer, seen as a can't miss, did not make the cut and neither did the Greek lead guard who left after this freshmen year and after not being drafted found austerity playing pro ball in Greece.